Tiger's Heart
by PeppermintWings
Summary: Takes place after Tiger's Quest. While everyone is relaxing as Kelsey sews her heart back up, Mr. Kadam invites Kelsey's cousin to India to lift up Kells' spirit. But what happens when her cousin's past life unravels painfully with her future and the curse? And what if it was destiny that brought her cousin into this mess?
1. An Unexpected Visit

I fussed at Kishan again for the hundredth time. He was still attempting to rub sun lotion over my body as I argued with him. Of course, he just ended up becoming amused again. I batted him away with the 300 paged novel in my hand as he laughed.

"Bilauta, when will i see you in a bikini?" he asked huskily. I slapped the sun lotion over my legs as i muttered, "Never."

He laughed. "Why not, bilauta?"

I chose not to reply.

I leaned back into my chair and pulled open the romance novel. Kishan dove into the pool and began doing laps back and forth. I wasn't very far into the novel when I noticed Ren joining Kishan.

_'Don't stare, Kelsey. Ignore him. Ignore him. Don't look,'_ I told myself. I wasn't going to torture myself. I immersed myself back into the novel.

Just when the book was getting good, I heard an urgent yell from the patio.

"Miss Kelsey, you have, an, uh, unexpected phone call from someone," the voice yelled. I put down my book and began to stand, happy for a distraction from the two hot tigers that were now getting out of the pool.

"Is it Sarah? Or Mike?" I asked toward Mr. Kadam.

"Uh...no," he said. I chewed my lips.

"Is it Lokesh?" I whispered.

Before the name even rolled off my lips, Kishan and Ren were by my side, though Ren was more distanced. I tried not to flinch or cry.

"The female proclaims that you should fear her more than Lokesh," Mr. Kadam said worriedly.

"Damn right!" a little voice yelled from the phone that Mr. Kadam held.

Ren growled lightly.

"Who is it?" Kishan asked Mr. Kadam. He shrugged.

"She won't say. The female says that Kelsey should know her," Mr. Kadam said.

Kishan looked at me and my nervous expression.

Who could be worse than Lokesh and say that she herself should be more feared than him. Mr. Kadam stuck the phone to me as Kishan stuck out his palm as if to receive the phone.

"Let me speak to her," Kishan growled. Man, Kishan was so defensive when it came to me. I hated it. I mean, i loved it when it was Ren, but...

Mr. Kadam shook his head no.

"The lady has no intention to speak to you, Kishan. Or Ren for that matter-"

"Damn right! Put Kelly on the fucking phone!" the voice yelled again through the device. I could sense that the lady on the other side of the phone could hear our conversation and was becoming agitated. Kishan withdrew his hand. He frowned at hearing the vile word the lady said. He stared at me, knowing I would never say such things. He was, along with Ren, surprised with the lady's language. I stuck my hand out to get the phone as Mr. Kadam gave it to me. I pressed the phone to my ear and swallowed lightly.

"Hello? This is Kelsey Hayes," I said steadily.

"Hello? That's all you can say after four fucking years? Kelsey Hayes, you better have a good fucking reason for ignoring me for the last four years! Is that how you treat your family after all these years? Not bothering to email, or call, or mail a fucking, stupid, postcard from India! Do you know how hard it was to track you down? All the people I've had to call and contact and yell at for hours?" the voice screamed from the other line. Confusion flittered in my mind as the three men surrounding me paled from the girl's language and her admirable ability to track me down when Lokesh struggled to.

"Autumn?" I asked slowly.

"DUH! Seriously, that's all you can say? I know you're in India! You can't hide anything from me, remember? We're COUSINS in case you may have forgotten! I know your mom and dad died but that's still no fucking reason not to contact me at all!" she yelled.

A slow smile crept at the corner of my lips as the two tigers frowned at me. I tried to wave them away but they crept closer to the phone.

"Autumn! I can't believe it's you! This is such a surprise! How did you find me?" I asked.

"Well, i can say that it all started out with Google. Google is a very good tool. C'mon, Kelsey, this is not about how I found you, it's about why I had to! Why didn't you ever call me or say anything?" Autumn's voice sobered. Kishan and Ren sniffed at the air and turned to each other with confused looks.

"I'm so sorry," I began.

"I'm sorry, too. For being so rude and breaking into old habits. Listen, I promise everything's going to get better for you," Autumn said.

"What do you mean?" I asked. Everything's going to get better for me? What did she know?

"Oops. Sorry. Uh, on my tracking of you, I spent a lot of money on plane tickets. I went to Oregon and found a few of your boyfriends who were kind enough to tell me something worth listening too. And, uh, if you get a call from Juvenile about me beating some fat nerd senseless, don't be surprised. The guy threatened to turn me in. BUT IT WAS HIS ENTIRE FAULT! He said some pretty rude things about you and this guy and he called me some words that didn't suit him. I would say it was self defensive, but actually, I threw the first punch, or in my case, a kick to his wobbly bits," she confessed. Kishan snickered. I managed a refreshing laugh. She was talking about Artie. I wonder if Ren remembered him.

Of course not.

"Wow. Ok. Autumn, how did you manage to get this number though? This number changes all the time," I said.

"Why?"

Oops.

"Uh, because, the guy who owns the number is, uh, paranoid." I mouthed a sorry to Mr. Kadam who laughed it off.

"Uhh, oookkk. Well, actually, the number came to me. I was contacted first by this old guy," she said.

"What?"

"Yeah, the guy said he knew I was trying to find you and that he knew where I was and where you were and he asked me a huge favor that I'm happily going to do...so, your surprise should be there any time now," she said.

"What? I repeated.

"Oh, for goodness sake, Kelsey! You can't ignore everyone you love from entering the door step of your life! Sometime you just have to open the fucking door to possibilities and surprises," she laughed. Ren and Kishan jerked and sniffed at the air again.

"Do you smell that?" Ren asked Kishan.

"Yeah, like coconuts and..."

"Vanilla ice cream?" Ren completed. Kishan nodded.

"Are your boy toys discussing food? They're making me ravenous in this heat. Oh! Can I talk to you later?" Autumn asked.

"Sure, when?" I asked.

"Like, in one minute?"

"Ok."

"Bye!"

"Bye!" I said. We hung up and I turned to Mr. Kadam. He gave an innocent look.

"What?" he asked.

"Were you the one who found her?" I smiled. He returned it.

"Miss Autumn is a very persuasive person and quite intelligent. One day I would like to meet her," Mr. Kadam said.

"Yeah, she's the best. She was, like, my best friend, until we stopped talking to each other after my parents passed away, her aunt and uncle. Maybe you could meet her one day," I said, cheery now. Autumn always made my day back then. It wouldn't be so bad if she came here to India, for a visit, or a vacation.

"Mr. Kadam, what would you say if I asked if she could visit?" I asked, just letting my mind wander.

"I bet you he would already say that he was ten steps ahead," Ren said as they both jerked as we heard someone scream very loudly, "DINGGGG DOOONG!" from the front of the mansion. Harsh pounding followed the yell. The three of us hastily dried ourselves off as we followed Mr. Kadam into the house to the front door. Kadam opened the door and we were face to face with a sandy-blonde girl with conspicuous dyed red streaks of hair my age. Her eyes were silver blue as she showed off a lustrous tan.

"Kelsey?" she inquired with astonish.

"Autumn?"

"Holy Crap."

"Oh my god."

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><p>AN: Hey, not good, I know. But whatever. Listen, I really wanted to this and I don't think I got all my Grammatical Mistakes so don't push your luck pointing them out. In case you haven't figure it out, Autumn loves to cuss, just like me. Sorry for my mean self, I love you guys. Please review. I would really appreciate it and I would definitly review to your guys story if you review to mine. This is after Tiger's Quest. Will be continued. Love you guys.


	2. Introduced and Settled

Chapter 2: Kelsey's Point of View

The girl who I called Autumn dropped all her luggage on the doorstep, stepped past Mr. Kadam and hugged me tightly. With my shocked reaction to my cousin who was here in the flesh, everything was just moving too fast and too slow. I returned the hug and Autumn quickly released me to turn to Mr. Kadam, hugging him quickly. She knocked him back a few inches as he threw his arms up in surprise, but returned the hug graciously.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Kadam for helping me find Kelsey! You don't know how much I've missed her!" she said quickly, sparkling dots appearing in the corner of her eyes as she quickly brushed them away. Autumn was known for her ability to hold back her emotions and feelings. This reunion, though, was letting her walls collapse. She turned toward Kishan.

"You must be Ren! You're Kelsey's boyfriend, right? Really, congratulations! I'm serious, Kelsey had guys lining up behind her in middle school _and_ when we were little," Autumn said, sweetly.

"Uh, actually, he's Ren," Kishan said as he pointed to Ren, confused. Autumn turned to face the real Ren, blushing lightly.

"Oops, sorry. I'm just so excited!" Autumn proclaimed.

"Uh, actually, Ren and I..." I began. What was I supposed to say? We broke up due to the fact that he doesn't remember me? Yeah, I'll sound like an idiot.

"Uh... Autumn... Ren and Kelsey broke up a few weeks ago. They're just friends now," Kishan said as he rescued me out of my tight spot. Autumn frowned and I saw her hand clench and unclench. Oh, god, she was thinking about whether she should punch Ren or not. Quickly, she plastered on a pearly smile as her hands flattened against her shorts.

"Oh, well. Sorry," she said. I was confused. She wasn't going to beat the crap out of Ren? Maybe knock some sense into him? Wow, Autumn seemed to learn self-control over the last four years.

The phone suddenly rang and Mr. Kadam jumped up, quickly saying, "Uh, I must answer that call, I have a feeling its one of my associates. Would you three please give Miss Autumn a tour of our home?" We all nodded as he ran off to answer the phone.

Autumn flashed another brilliant smile and went to grab her luggage as she said, "Wow, this house is more amazing in the inside!" She turned to Ren as he made his way toward her.

"Would you like for me to carry your bags, Miss Autumn?"

She laughed.

"Ren, no need to call me _Miss Autumn. _Just Autumn. And no, I can carry my own bags," she said. Her voice seemed to snap at the end, as if showing Ren a bit of a cold shoulder due to the fact that we had broken up. He blinked and nodded.

Kishan seemed to notice her cold tone and laughed, too. He winked at me. I rolled my eyes. Kishan leaned toward me and whispered, "Does she hate Ren?"

"I think so," I stuttered.

"Then I believe she will be a pleasure around the house. I could use someone on my side whenever Ren and I go head to head."

"She chooses sides wisely, Kishan. She'll probably be more on Ren side by the end of the day, she hates guys like you," I whispered.

He seemed shock. "How could she hate me if she doesn't even know me?"

"You're easy to describe: flirty, jockey, laid-back, not caring about anybody but himself," I laughed.

His eyes narrowed at me.

"I care about you, _bilauta_," he whispered. I bit my lip.

"You shouldn't."

He shrugged.

"Are you guys talking about me, Kelly?" Autumn asked with moon wide eyes.

"Why must you call me _Kelly_?" I groaned.

"Cause it irritates you and you know I can be annoying," Autumn laughed. I laughed along with her.

"Well, _Winter,_" I began, using my nickname for her. "Let's show you to your room."

"May _I _get your bags, Autumn?" Kishan tried asking my cousin, with a charming smile.

"Jeez, I got it," she drawled. She seemed to be immune to his effective smile. I would have given in. Autumn was something different, she was immune to everything. Kishan's smile had faltered. Everyone walked past him as he stood there, confused.

"Better luck next time," I snickered as I walked past him.

Kishan could get any girl to fall for him. He seemed disappointed that he could not swoon my cousin. He merely shrugged and walked behind us.

"Where are your guy's extra rooms?" I asked him.

"That one right there," Ren pointed out.

I opened the door and was greeted by the scent of bamboo. The room had a Chinese-looking design, reminding me of Kishan and Ren's mother. Being in the China Room, as I decided to call it, I felt a pang of sadness for Kishan and Ren. They must miss their mother.

"This is my room?" Autumn gasped.

"Yes," Ren said softly. She seemed to look at them, confused. Her eyebrows pushed together as she said to both of them, "Is there another room I could maybe sleep in? This room looks as if it's very important to you guys," she said sincerely.

Ren shook his head.

"No, its fine. Sleep here," Ren said, breaking out of memories. Kishan nodded. There was an awkward moment of silence.

Suddenly, Autumn burst into giggle fits. I jumped at the suddenness but the two human tigers seemed confused.

"What's so funny?" Kishan asked.

"Sorry, I just start randomly laughing when there's a silence, keeps the tension from building up," she laughed. They continued to stare at her. She squirmed under their heavy stare as her eyes darkened. Her eyes darkening were not a good sign. The darkening of her eyes usually meant that she was going to snap soon, streams of profanity following. Randomly, I asked a question.

"What time is it?"

Autumn, distracted, looked at her cell to see the time.

"Only four in the afternoon," she replied calmly.

"Oh no!" Kishan and Ren said simultaneously. They jerked and dashed out of the room. Autumn, outraged about their quick motions, believed that they wanted to get away from her. She stuck her head out the door of her room and yelled after them, "GOOD-BYE TO YOU, TOO!"

"Fucking jerks," she added silently. I couldn't help but laugh.

"What are your opinions on the boys?" I asked her as I strode into the China Room. I plopped myself on her bed as she grumbled incoherent words. So far, Autumn was a joy to have around. She seemed happy to be here, but not happy about her company.

"Kishan is an asshole who thinks he can get whatever he wants, I think, _y Ren es un bobo,_" she drawled.

"Huh?" I asked.

"Did you also forget I'm half White and half Dominican?" she teased.

"No, but what did you say about Ren?"

"I said 'and Ren is a retard.'"

I burst into wild laughs and wiped tears from my eyes. Ren? A retard? Far from it!

"Kelsey, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"I don't think your boy toys like me very much."

"That's not a question," I stalled.

She glared at me. I sighed.

"Why would you think that?"

"Well, they kind of dashed out of here very quickly," she said sadly.

I bit my lip. What was I supposed to say?

Ren and Kishan were running out of their twelve hours for today. There were probably going to morph in five minutes from now. I couldn't risk telling Autumn our secret, even if she was my cousin.

I felt bad; I always told Autumn everything when we were younger.

"They're very busy," I lied. Autumn glanced at me as she was removing her stuff from her suitcases. Her eyes burned me, they looked sad and…betrayed.

She knew I was lying.

But she wasn't going to pull information out of me.

I looked away as she turned to pull out her laptop from her suitcase, setting it on the dresser. She turned it on and connected to the internet. I watched as Google opened up as she typed in: _Clubs in India_ in the search bar. I gasped.

"Autumn!"

"Kelsey!" she laughed.

"What are you doing?"

"I just thought with your breakup, that you deserved a night out to get over your ex," she said as she scrolled down to see various clubs. She clicked on the links here and there and decided on one.

"Are you crazy?" I asked.

"Yep!" she laughed, and then added, "We're heading to the _Indian Mango _tomorrow night. This jet lag is killing me." I looked at her and watched as her energy died. Her eyes looked sleepy. She yawned loudly and fell on her bed, landing beside me.

"Kells," she muttered.

"What?" I asked.

"Am I allowed to _accidently _trip Ren?" she yawned.

I gave a small laugh, but said, "No." She frowned and closed her eyes.

"Fine, I won't trip the bastard then," she lied. I rolled my eyes.

"Ug, I'd kill for some _arroz_," she muttered. I stifled a laugh. That's all she wanted when we were littler, rice and rice and rice. Piles of it. Rivers of it. With beans, without. With meat, without.

"Don't you ever get sick of that?" I asked. She shook her head and yawned, "Hispanic people love rice, but Dominican people love rice and _plátanos.__"_

"Right, right," I laughed as I got up. I was going to give Autumn her hours of rest she needed.

As I got up, I notice something shiver in the edge of my vision. I turned my head slowly and saw a wooden bowl with something steaming within it. There, on the nightstand beside Autumn –who was already knocked out asleep— was a steaming bowl of white rice. I let out a small _eep! _and dove for the bowl, dashing out her China Room as the bowl of rice burned into my palm.

Before I was entirely out of the China Room, I noticed Autumn twitch her nose in her sleep as a look of confusion fluttered on her face. The familiar scent of rice must have wafted into her dreams.

I breathed a sigh of relief and set the bowl on the kitchen counter. I didn't throw it away, throwing it away would be a waste. I let it look innocent on the counter for any person to come and eat it, which could be one of the tigers when they come back home at midnight.

I began to crawl upstairs, not minding a little nap.

As I walked past Autumn's room, I heard a little ring. I peeked into her room to see her phone vibrate and playing a melodic tune. I walked into her room and spotted the caller, a person named: Samuel Wood.

Curiosity filled me up with the identity of the caller. Me, always being curious, picked up the caller.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Autumn?" an eager, young voice asked, male.

"No, this is her cousin," I replied.

"Is Autumn there?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Well, may I speak to her?"

"She's asleep."

"Can you wake her?"

"Wouldn't that be rude?" I snapped.

"Not if she knows I'm calling," he said, cockily.

"Fine."

I walked over to Autumn and sat of the edge of her bed. I place a hand on her shoulder and shook her awake. She woke and slapped my hand away.

"What?" she whined.

"Some dude wants to speak to you," I said as I handed her the phone.

"Who is it?" she yawned.

"Some guy named Samuel."

I've never seen Autumn so excited, well, not counting today. She practically jumped up and clawed for her phone. She pressed her phone into her ear and breathed, "Sam?"

I heard the voice through her phone.

"Hey, baby. How are you?"

"I'm good, I'm in India. How's California?"

"Less sunny without you here. I miss you."

"I miss you, too, baby," she said, her voice cracking. Was Samuel her boyfriend?

"How's India, is it amazing as you thought it would be?"

"Too soon to tell," she yawned. "I'm still tired from the jet lag."

"Was is it? Like, seven…eight hours ahead?"

"Around that, yeah."

"Alright, well, I'll let you sleep in. I wanted to make sure you were safe. I needed to hear your voice," he said softly. Autumn smiled and pushed a red streak of hair behind her ear.

"Okay, baby. Call me when you get a chance, okay? I know the long distance call is hurting your cash," she laughed.

"It's worth it." There was a pause. Then he added, "I love you."

Something panged around in my chest as Autumn gasped for breath in shock. Has she never heard those words before?

Then as if everything fell into place, she whispered into the phone, "I love you, too." The words flowed into the phone as I heard a sigh from the other line. The call ended as Autumn's tanned skin glowed. She blushed and held her phone to her chest as if it was the most precious thing to her. She didn't seem to notice me sulk out of her room. I wished for those words that were spoken to her. How right they felt on one's lips to their lover.

Little did she know, those words weren't going to stay with her long.

* * *

><p>AN: Does it suck? If it does, too bad! Muahahaha! How long will_ I_ be able to endure my writing? How long will _you_ readers endure without another chapter? Probably a long time… You guys probably laugh at this story and say, "Damn, this story is bull shit!" If you do say that, then stop reading this! Okay, guys, I love you! Just wanted to say thanks to my reviews, I love how they make me laugh. You guys are awesome!


	3. Dislike

(Sorry, but its a filler. I was driving myself insane by not updating quickly enough. I'm also sorry for not editing my grammar mistakes. I was in a rush and I really meant to and I promise to fix everything as soon as I can.)

* * *

><p>Kishan's Point of View<p>

It was only midnight and I was still prowling around in my tiger form. Ren had managed to sneak back in the mansion without being detected by anyone, at least, I hope he did.

Here I was, still prowling the jungle floor. What was I doing? Was I looking for a snack. No. I'm just here, thinking about her. Kelsey. Goodness, I hated it. I hate being her second. And know, to make everything harder, her cousin is here. It makes me mad now that I can't shift when I want to because I have to act with caution around Kelsey's cousin instead of switching forms when I want to. I growl. When will the girl leave?

What is her name again? Autumn.

The name suited her well, with what she looked like.

Sun-kissed skin, sandy hair with bright red streaks, and dark blue eyes that seemed to absorb light.

I growled again. There's something about that girl. I don't like her.

I begin to walk towards the path to the mansion. On all fours, I run. I spot the mansion and run faster, the sooner I'm in bed, the happier I will be. It'll make me even happier to know that Kelsey is safe.

I'm at the door now. I jump up so I'm on my hind legs and my front paws are on the door. With my teeth, I gently bite down on the knob of the door to twist it. It takes a while. I'd rather do it in my human form but I don't want to waste precious moments. Who knows? Maybe I'll be able to seduce Kelsey with my masculin humanness and she'll change her mind about me and Ren.

If only.

I'm in the house now, and I close the door with a soft kick, making sure to lock it with a awkward swipes of my paws. The motions are tiring and I finally manage.

Trotting tiredly through the house, I find a scent. I raise my nose to the air and then I smell it.

Rice and some kind of beans.

Licking my lips, I stalk into the kitchen to find something on the kitchen counter. I jump up so I'm on my hind legs again. There's a little note beside it. From Kelsey.

_I didn't make it or anything._  
><em>It was the Mango's fault<em>

I grumble softly, my version of a tiger laugh. I do my best to lick the bowl clean. It's quite delicious, though I know it's been out for a while. I jump off the counter and begin to saunter up the stairs. I stop.

There's that strange scent again. It smells like coconuts...and...vanilla ice cream.

I snarl. It's that girl again. Her scent is overpowering.

No. It's not overpowering. It's just so strong because I'm outside of her door. The door isn't closed. It's open a crack and a creamy light pours under the door. I wonder where the light it coming from.

What is that girl doing? Curosity wins the battle as I angrily, but with caution, poke my head through the door.

The girl is asleep. Pushing the rest of my body in, I see what the girl is doing, or was.

Her sandy hair and red streaks fall over her eyes. She's smiling contently and pressed against her cheeks is a book. In her hand, the hand that's draped over her pillow, there's a little bookmark, light thingy.

She was reading.

I never knew anyone who read as much as Kelsey. But then again, there's no one else to know.

I push the rest of my body through the door to see the girl closely. The smile that I thought was there, isn't there any more. Closer, I see that there are dried tear trails on her cheeks. I see that her tears fell on the books she was reading earlier, blurring a few words. She was crying.

Intriguied, I venture closer to the girl. She's also carrying the scent of bamboo, since she's sleeping here. Around the bed, there are even more books. I read the titles. All of them are romance books, some with adventures and (of course) the supernatural occasionaly. There are so many. How did she manage to bring them all?

So deeply in thought, I accidently step on one of the books and it flies from my paws, gliding to hit the little table legs on the table right beside the bed. It makes a thunk as it hits it, and the girl lightly moans.

She's awakening! I do my best to scramble under the bed so she doesn't see me. I barely fit and I have to lie completely down. I struggle to tuck my tail under me.

"Hello?" the girl yawns. I hold my breath.

The springs in the bed creak softly as she moves her weight around. Suddenly, her feet are next to my face as she swings them from the bed. My heart is pounding and I swear she can hear it. I hear her looking for something in the covers. She's flapping out the blankets softly, searching.

"Where's my phone?" she mutters.

_If the girl just looks at the table beside her, she'll find it_, I think in annoyance.

"Found it," she saids softly in victory.

Soft, tapping sounds echo in the room and the girl draws her feet up again from the floor. I hear a buzz and a ring.

She's calling someone. Who?

What if she's working for Lokesh?

"Hello? I'm Bethany, how can I help you?" a voice asks tiredly.

"Hello, its Autumn Martez. I was wondering if you heard anything about Scarlett Martez," she asks softly.

"And how are you connected to this person?"

"I'm her daughter," she replies softly.

"Ok, please hold."

"Of course."

Who was she calling? I try to listen harder.

"The search is still on, but there have been no sightings of your mother as well as the people with her. The directors of the search are planning to call it off in probably three days," Bethany replied in a monotone voice.

"What? No! You have to continue looking for her!" Autumn cries.

"I'm sorry. But there's a whole ocean to search for her and we can't search the whole thing."

"But you have too! Its my mother! She's out at sea and could be dying!"

"If there are any sightings, we will alert you and your father as soon as possible."

"Don't you dare hang up! I swear-"

The woman hung up. There was a silence.

Suddenly, I hear little gaspy sounds and I jump under the bed as her phone falls beside my face. The little device clatters and breaks, the back of the cell phone popping off as the battery skitters and smacks my face. Her gaspy sounds are muffled, and I think its because her hand is over her mouth.

I know why she's crying. Everyone believes her mother is dead, lost to the sea. I feel sorry about the poor girl. I know how she feels. Both our mother's are pronounced dead. And all she wants is her mother.

I miss my mother.

The bed creaks softly as she shifts her weight.

She mumbles softly, words barely heard.

"I have to be strong. Kelsey needs me right now. I'm not allowed to mourn."

My heart breaks a bit. She wants to protect Kelsey. I want to tell her that Kelsey can handle herself, since she has those lightning powers. I want to tell her that she's allowed to cry. But something tells me that Autumn does not usually break down like this. That she doesn't bend to people's wills. Her gaspy sounds are silenced as I realize that she has forced herself not to cry. I want to tell her that she can cry, that she doesn't have to hold in her angst.

As she falls deeply asleep, I manage to escape. I was right to say to say she was hiding something, but wrong to say that is was something involved with Lokesh. I just have to play the cards right. Maybe if everything goes alright, Autumn may help me win over Kelsey's heart.

If only.

* * *

><p>Tempted to remain by the girl's door, I sit on the other side of it and rest my head on my paws. I wish she wouldn't hold in her pain. Something like that isn't supposed to be held in. Grief is to flow freely so that soon, you would gain the ability to heal. Dispite that fact that the girl was temporarily consumed by sorrow, I still didn't like her very much. She hid to much and I was sure that she wasn't going to share any newfound information about her mother with Kelsey. Perhaps that was for the best.<p>

Twice during the night, I heard the girl awaken and cry a bit more, only to stop herself briefly as soon as a tear fell. I could hear the girl smack herself; she had smack her wrist and told herself softly, 'Stop it. Stop it. Stop crying. Be strong.'

It was a bit sad that she found her sorrow to be a weakness. People see a sign of tears as a sign of power. The girl obviously thought the opposite of that. Her emotions of sadness were, to her, her weakness.

Soon, I could no longer tolerate the waves of sleepiness and tiredly stalked to my room. I jumped upon my bed and buried myself beneath the covers and feel into a deep, peaceful dream.

* * *

><p>AN: Hello. Sorry for the buttload of this crap. Apparently I am not very good when it comes to writing in the perspective of a guy/tiger. Please excuse it and please review. I love all of the awesome reviews I get for this story and would really appreciate if I got more. After all, a girl survives on her reviews like a tiger survives on mauling cute little animals such as bunny rabbits, right? Hehe.

Warning: I read Tiger's Voyage and am now going to twist that with this, so be prepared for the varied outcomes.


	4. An Indian Lullaby

_**Autumn's POV:**_

A thud of a book crashing to the floor awakens me. My eyes flutter open as the Indian sun casts a bright light downward on me. I yawn slowly and rub my eyes open.

My green curtains looked yanked opened.

My room looks undisturbed. I lean over the edge of the bed and spot the book I was reading earlier on the floor. Sighing, I pick it up and flip to the page where I left off. Words are blurred slightly and I frown lightly. I close the book and place it on the night stand. I lean back onto the bed and rest the back of my head on my arm.

I stare at the ceiling, Gazing upon it, I find nothing enlightening. I scoff and kick the covers off of me, throwing my legs off the bed. I stand too quickly and wobble slightly. Standing vertically and letting the dizziness pass, I walk around my room to pick up all my books. I don't want Kelsey to tease me. She doesn't even know that I'm a bookworm like her.

I'm _supposed_ to be the cousin that teases _her_ for reading too much.

Hiding the books and grabbing my thin red robe to wrap around my body, I sit on the bed.

The room smells like a heaven of bamboo. The scents waft lazily in the room and I turn my head to stare out the window. It appears I have my own veranda and out the window I can see the pool. Beyond the pool there are three football fields of grass and wildflowers. Beyond the grass, the area explodes into a full-blown jungle. My back shivers with all the dangers within the jungle but I brush it off.

A little melody rings softly and I dive to get my phone hidden with the covers. Spotting my phone, I grasp it. I look at the caller ID. It's Katie. My best friend.

_What's Katie calling me for this early in the morning?_

_Well, there is a time difference…_

I press the green button that looks like a phone.

"Katie?" I ask.

"_I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Autumn,"_ she cries.

"Katie? What's wrong?" I ask, worried.

"_It's all over the news over here. Oh, my God, I'm so sorry,"_ she chokes.

"Katie! What's happened?" I exclaimed.

"_Your mom. CNN," _she chokes.

I let out a whimper as I dash down the steps of the mansion. I trip over the steps several times and have to catch myself on the railing more than enough.

"_Oh no_!" Katie wails through the cell phone.

"Shut up!" I beg as I run through the huge house to find the living room. I find it and begin to search for a remote. Not being able to find it, I just run up to the TV and kneel before it to jab the _ON _button. The huge TV flickers on and I repeatedly jab the channel buttons for CNN. To me it feels like an eternity and I begin to doubt that they get the channel when I see a reporter holding a microphone.

The little logo on the bottom right corner tells me that it's CNN.

"—_the boat was found about six-hundred miles from the coast of California. The Martez's were simply enjoying the summer day in their boat with two other couples. Jeffery Martez and Scarlett Martez, owners of a large company dealing with construction and wildlife preserves throughout the country, where celebrating their daughter's twenty first birthday with Mr. and Mrs. Willows and Mr. and Mrs. Guzman. The boat was caught in a storm unexpected by the weather reports of the day. The Willows and Jeffery Martez along with his daughter had managed to be found two weeks ago by the Marine Rescue. The Guzman's and Scarlett Martez hadn't been found until today along with their boat. Mrs. Guzman had survived while her husband sacrificed himself for her when the sharks came. By Mrs. Guzman claims that Scarlett Martez had drowned with the boat while she had been trying to keep afloat for the last few days and survive on the food in the cooler of the boat. Divers are working now to get the boat and to see if they can find Mrs. Martez's body."_

The screen flashed to Mrs. Guzman wrapped in a towel. She spoke clearly into the microphone to the reporter.

"_The three of us were stranded, and yet, Scarlett was the only one who held hope while I and my husband couldn't. Her last words were a poem to her daughter:_

'_The sea is where all hearts lie_

_Our heart in a man will not perish or die. _

_Hold the flame of water close_

_Please don't take a second dose_

_The sea is where all hearts lie_

_Remember who you are before you die.'"_

The screen flashed back to the reporter who was now talking about our businesses and their businesses. They went on and on about the Stock Market, talking about the stocks my mother had owned as well as my father's.

"Autumn? Are you there?" Katie whimpered.

I hung up on Katie.

My hands were shaking, my lips were quivering and I could feel my eyes burning. My chest was hurting so much. I clench my jaw and my fists. My knuckles begin to turn pure white as let out a soft strangled cry.

Slowly, my breath begins to hitch and everything is crashing upon me. I switch the channel, turn the TV off and slowly and awkwardly, take the climb up the stairs. Just as I took the second step up, my hand flew to my mouth so can muffle my sharp wail to make sure no one can hear. Hot tears suddenly sprung and fall out of my eyes. The big tears rolled over my fingers covering my mouth and they fall to the stairs. I could almost hear the sound they made when they hit the stairs.

_Plop._

_Plop._

_Plop._

I passed by a room drowning in blues and greens. A peacock room? I looked into it.

There Kelsey was with Mr. Kadam. Their backs were turned to me. Kelsey was weeping on Mr. Kadam's knee. She was crying softly as he hummed an Indian Lullaby. I turned away so they wouldn't see me as I slumped down against the door frame.

The lullaby calmed me as well.

As I wept silently, I listened. They talked about Ren and Mr. Kadam spoke about his son and a bird. The bird's death made me cry even harder. Death. I was surrounded by it. Mr. Kadam and Kelsey reached a conclusion.

She should try to obtain friendship with Ren. Kelsey talked about how avoiding Ren would make Durga's quest difficult.

_Durga's quest?_

I didn't bother to eavesdrop on the rest. I just stood up and left. I didn't want to go in my room and I didn't want to be comforted by anyone, so instead, I went back downstairs.

Going though the kitchen, I saw a huge buffet of breakfast food. My appetite went away. Hunger was gone_. _My mother's death left me feeling empty.

I went through the back door. Walking past the pool, I walked through the damp grass to the jungle.

I was only in the edge of the jungle. I wanted to cry where no one could find me. Where I didn't have to worry about being needed. Kelsey didn't need me. No one needed me. I was just a third wheel. I was all alone in this world. Maybe Sam didn't need me either. Or _want_ me.

I leaned up against a tree trunk. I buried my face in my hands as my back slid down the trunk. I screamed and wailed against my hands.

My sobs were muffled and my heart was breaking into tiny splinters.

"_Mommy!"_ I gasped.

My chest heaved and I hoarsely screamed. My hands were soaking wet and I could feel my tears dripping from my chin down onto my lap.

I haven't cried like this since forever. It's been so long. I haven't cried like this since Kyle...

My mother was dead now. Lost to the sea. The sea, the place my mother and I adored, took my mother from me. The sea, who presented my mother and I with gifts. The sea, which left glass on the sand for my mother and I to collect while my father was away for business. The sea, which made my mother's face shine every time we found and intact, blue shell. The sea, which reminded my mother of her home, of her island. Her island that welcomed her. Our home. The sea took my mother.

My sob fest went on forever and I feared that Kelsey would notice that I was gone. I removed my hands from my eyes as I let my eyes adjust to the light and the jungle's greenery. I blinked several times when I saw amber, gold eyes peering straight at me. I gasped as the beast emerged from a tangle of vines.

A black, golden-eyed tiger looked at me and bared his large canines at me. He let out a soft, guttural growl.

I braced my hands against the tree truck. I sucked in a breath but I couldn't breathe. I tried to scramble away but the beast held my gaze. I couldn't move.

He stalked toward to me. He stopped about three yards away. He was huge.

I clenched my fists and stood up slowly. His eyes watched me carefully, his lips pulling back.

I took a breath and began to cry again, but I continued to stare him down.

"Go ahead and kill me. I'm done with life," I whispered to the tiger.

* * *

><p>AN: Here's the fourth chapter. I hope everyone liked it and just a little thanks to all my reviews and reviewers. This chapter was how I was going to start connecting it to Tiger's Voyage so, here you guys go!


	5. A Jungle of Tears

Chapter 5: A Jungle of Tears

Kishan's POV:

* * *

><p>I couldn't believe it. There she was.<p>

Did she know? Did she see me transform, see me shift?

I stalked toward her and growled. She pressed against the tree in fear, clenching her hands and I could see her body shivering.

Autumn was crying, and though I was angry, seeing her cry bewildered me, but I knew why she was crying. I saw it happen right before my eyes.

I had heard her go down the stairs in the morning and decided to follow her without her knowing. She was running, talking into a cell phone telling someone to shut up. I had watched her hopelessly trying to find a channel on the plasma TV after she couldn't find the remote, which was hidden under the couch innocently.

Once she had found what she was looking for, she stepped back and listened. Her hand rose to her mouth as she heard what I had heard.

Her mother was dead.

She was shaking so badly as she let a strangled cry escape her lips. After a moment, she pulled herself together and weakly began to climb up the stairs, bursting out into tears after the second step as she clasped her hand over her mouth to muffle the sounds. My heart broke for her.

No longer able to see her cry, I escaped into the forest in my tiger form to escape the sorrow she was bringing down upon me. She reminded me how I felt centuries ago when my own mother had died. For long moments, I just paced about in the forest, running, trotting, and dragging my claws across trees as I thought of Lokesh, how he had wanted my mother.

After so many moments, I began to hear soft cries, something similar to an animal in pain.

I peered through a tangle of vines, shocked to see Autumn crying loudly, deep in thought.

The girl looked so lost, so broken and hopeless. Wrapped in her red robe, her sandy bangs clung to her tears as the rest tumbled over her shoulders, knotted with her red streaks. Her silver blue eyes looked empty as she clung to herself. Her eyes looked as if they were searching for something. Unconsciously, she took hold of her left hand, her ring finger, and rubbed the base of it. I stared at her actions. With the naked eye of humans, they possibly couldn't see what I had seen with my Tiger sight. I could barely make it out.

The skin there looked a shade lighter, almost unperceivable.

Suddenly, she gasped. I looked away from her hand.

Her silver blue eyes stared straight at me.

I was discovered. For seconds I was frozen. Time stopped as realization struck me. Did she know who I was? That I was Kishan underneath the dark, black fur? Could she detect the man beneath the tiger?

I emerged from the tangle of vines and couldn't help but bare my fangs. Even if she was Kelsey's cousin, she could be a threat to Ren's and mine's existence. She could ruin us!

I growled menacingly and she pressed her body further against the tree. She was breathing little, quick puffs of air and she squeezed her eyes shut. I came closer and right when I was about a few feet away, her eyes snapped open, surprising me. I stopped in my tracks and watched as she slowly brought herself to a stand, clenching her fists. With fear of being struck, I snarled.

Her face reddened as her sobs worsen. She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand.

"Go ahead and kill me. I'm done with life," she whispered with bitterness.

I felt my jaw go slack.

Was she really asking for death?

Suddenly she fell onto her knees and placed her head in her hands. I jumped back, growling louder.

"Please, Tiger. I'm begging! Kill me! Kill me! My mother is dead!"

When she brought her face up, her eyes looked hollow and empty.

"Will you end my suffering?" she whispered.

I paused but then approached her slowly.

"People I love keep dying! My father is next, I know it! First it was Kelsey's parents, then it was Kyle, and now my mother! Next it might be Sam o-or my dad!" she confesses.

I'm so still. Why is she blaming herself for these deaths? She pauses and wails, "Or maybe even Kelsey!"

Why? What is happening?

"He warned me. He warned me," she repeats emptily.

Who is warning her?

"The dreams, the terrors, the nightmares! They keep replaying! Peace, I need peace," she chokes.

What is wrong with Autumn?

"Save me. Save me," she repeats, like it some kind of mantra. Her whole body shakes as she clutches her head and rocks back and forth.

Suddenly, she stops. Go stills. She doesn't even breathe.

"_Kishan," _a voice whispers. I freeze myself. I know the bell-like voice.

_Goddess? Durga? _ I think.

"_Kishan. You must protect this poor soul. She is suffering_," Durga says.

_What is she suffering from, Goddess? _I ask.

"_Heartbreak, dark Tiger. She has suffered much from it too," _Durga says sadly.

_Is her mother really dead? _I ask.

"_Poor Autumn. The poor child has suffered enough. Ease her pain, Tiger. I can only give her my love and guidance to help a little."_

I feel Durga's presence already leaving. I call out to her but she is already gone. Autumn begins to shake again, but the shaking is barely noticeable.

Without thinking, I begin to rub my face against her legs.

_Why, Durga, are you making me do this?_ I ask myself with a grunt. Autumn freezes.

Obeying Durga's request, I continue to rub my face against her with pure annoyance.

"W-what are you doing?" Autumn gasps. Her hands lift upward as if in surrender, not wanting to touch me.

I begin to purr and remind myself to tell _no one _of this encounter. Not even Mr. Kadam.

"A-are you purring? Tigers purr?" Autumn questions aloud.

I lift my head towards her and begin to rub my face against her, wiping at her wet face. Her face is soft and smells faintly of tropical fruits and vanilla.

Autumn leans away and stares. I look away and begin to growl at myself.

I'd always imagine I would wipe away Kelsey's tears or comfort Kelsey in my Tiger Form. Instead, here I am, comforting her cousin. I'm disgusted with myself. My lips peel off my canines. Why is Durga making me comfort this crying, blubbering fool?

I look back at Autumn and growl at her. She's taken aback. She's so weak. I scold her mentally. She is riddled with pain and heartbreak.

I run back to the jungle, leaving the girl there by herself. She resumes her crying and she clings to herself.

In anger, I claw at the bark of trees. Never have I been so angry!

The trees, after a while, are riddled with scratches and tears. Their limbs hang precariously.

She reminds me of myself after my mother died. She reminds me of myself after Yesubai had died. Maybe that is why I hate her so much. She reminds me of all these deaths. Deaths that completely consumed me. I roar, angry as this world for taking so many lives.

Why?

Why does this world kill and take?

Why does this world leave me with empty hands?

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><p>AN: Sorry that it's short. I promise the next chapter will be longer. I hope you all were able to tolerate it and are satisfied. I'd like to say thank you to my reviewers: Faith Hathor and GothicNightmare1998. Thank you guys so much for reviewing! Your reviews are awesome and mean a lot! _Adios!_


	6. Nice Light

**_Nice Light_**

_Autumn's POV:_

I stare at myself in the reflection of the pool water. I've managed to brush away the dirt from the seat of my robe and shorts after long moments doing so in annoyance. The blue eyes staring back don't appear red or puffy anymore and I'm glad. No one will suspect a thing; I have priorities to maintain, meaning protect Kelsey. Then I have to call Sam.

But I'm not calling my father.

Tying my hair into a thick bun at the nape of my neck and running my fingers quickly through my bangs so they fall nicely over my eyes, I consider myself presentable, knowing that this is the best I can do. Nervously, I begin to crack my knuckles and step towards the door.

"Poker face. Poker face," I whisper to myself. The glass of the door beams back my weak smile, confirming that I can keep this under wraps until I depart from India. With the heavy burden of my secret, I suddenly become tired but force my eyes open and turn the knob of the door. Very aware of its almost inaudible squeak, I fear that the mere sound will wake everyone up as I push myself against the door and enter the dining room conjoined with both the kitchen and the living room. Closing the door softly behind myself, I notice how the island in the kitchen is flooded with sweet rolls, fruits, deviled eggs, Danishes, ham, mini sandwiches, and plenty more of breakfast and lunch foods. I have no appetite, given the circumstances, but I know that in order to look normal and relatively stable, I'll have to eat something.

Slowly approaching the island, I see that a few people have already arrived before me as they develop further into their conversation.

"So you want to be friends."

"Yep. No pressure, no tears, no constant reminders of things you forgot, no anything. We'll just start over. A clean slate. We'll learn how to be friends. We'll learn how to be friends and get along despite your inner trigger to run. What do you say? Want to shake on it?" Kelsey finished. Stealthily watching as I prop my elbows on the island near the peaches and jab my chin into my waiting palm, I sigh. With this boy, Kelsey will definitely need protection, whether she'll want it or not.

"What are we agreeing on?" A new voice joins. I watch the brother—Kishan, I think—walk into the dining room, all still oblivious to my presence.

"Kelsey just agreed to give me a demonstration of her lightning ability," Ren smoothly lied. "Being able to shoot fire from your hand is something I've got to see."

My ears perk up and I lift my chin from my palm. Heart racing, I say, "Lightning ability?" All three heads quickly turn towards me, caught off guard. Their eyes spark as they suck in a breath. Kishan recovers the fastest but Ren is first to speak. "It's a joke we share…an inside joke, you know?"

Taking my plate of Danishes and strawberries, I settle in beside Kelsey in the dining hall. "Oh. Well what's the punch line?"

"I get shocked," Kelsey says quickly. My eyebrows furrow together as I laugh. "Interesting joke, Kells." Kelsey blushes as her and Ren both turn back to their food, but Kishan stares at me as if…intrigued?

"How long have you been up?" Kelsey asks. My fork pauses as it makes its path towards my watering mouth.

"An hour…um, a friend called…and I wanted to admire the pool…"

"Why?" Kishan asks. His eyes bore into mine as if they're aware that I'm lying.

I laugh to ease off my nervousness and to actually make it appear as if I'm really carefree right now.

"I'm an island girl! You know how much I love water," I joke. Truth was, I really didn't want to be near any source of water. Ever. Water reminds me of Mom, and Mom reminds me of how she's…

Kishan steps away to get his meal and I'm reminded of our plans for tonight as he spears a mango onto his plate.

"No plans tonight, right?" I ask Kelsey as she and Ren finish off their whispering which involved Shakespearean quotes. Ren leaves and Kelsey turns towards me.

"What plans?"

I roll my eyes, "We're partying tonight. _Golden Mango_ Club, remember? Dance until our feet hurt, mingle until our hearts hurt, and drink until our heads throb? You can celebrate your newfound friendship while we're there, too," I laugh. Kelsey blushes but Kishan looks at us sharply.

"You'll be drinking alcohol?" he asks like stern mother. Like my mother would have.

"Yes!" He looks shocked and I can't help but laugh. "No, dummy. Strictly juice box."

He looks relieved. "Once though, when Kelsey and I were thirteen, we broke into her mom's wine cabinet—"

"Autumn! Shush!" Kelsey cries in horror, half laughing.

"Are you sure you're in the condition to be going out partying?" Kishan asks. My mouth flops open. He peers at me with golden, amber eyes through his long, lush, black locks. It's as if he _knows _and I don't understand how he would. Unsure of whether he's taking to me or Kelsey, I squeak, "Of course! We're in the perfection condition to go out! Ridiculous, asking if we are!"

"Don't be a drama queen," Kelsey giggles, but I feel as if my heart was struck, reminding me of why I was acting this way, why I was so heartbroken.

"I am not a drama queen," I lie. Then, dramatically, I push my plate away. "I'm still sleepy. Jet lag, going to sneak in a few more hours of sleep before we leave. Wear something casual…American. It's an American club, cool actors and actresses from the States go there. I heard something about how there's a movie set in production near there."

Without another word, I stand.

"You barely ate!" Kelsey complains. I look at my full plate with remorse and then disgust. The only strawberry I ate feels as if it wants to take a ride back up from my queasy stomach.

"Not hungry," I say softly, and leave.

* * *

><p><em>Kishan's POV<em>

After brunch and expressing my concerns towards Kelsey, I still don't understand how Autumn could be such a good actress. She acted like she was completely…fine! Normal, even! If I didn't know any better, I wouldn't have never guessed that her mother was announced dead this morning and that she encounter a tiger…me. And as bad as I wanted to share the events with Kelsey, I couldn't. It wasn't my secret to tell and how would I be able to explain to Autumn how I found out. Despite how the girl acted ridiculous and how she almost discovered Kelsey's ability, I had to admit, her stealth was admired. How could Ren and I not sense her? Her vanilla and strawberry scent permeated through the room. Perhaps we were too distracted, I from Ren and Kelsey's private conversation and Ren from the close proximity of being near Kelsey.

I had asked Kelsey if she had wanted either me or Ren—despite my growl beneath the name—to accompany her. She said she needed some time to catch up with Autumn and waved away my proposal with a laugh. Slinking away like a sad kitten, I shifted and monitored the house despite it not being needed. The sounds of low puffs of air and groggy movements escaped beneath Autumn's door as she took her nap. Kadam was still researching of course while Kelsey helped and Ren stayed holed up in his room. There was nothing to do.

And I knew that under Kelsey's protests, I would still follow. And I knew that Ren would, too.

* * *

><p><em>Autumn's POV<em>

Kelsey was a mess. She seemed so out of touch with American fashions that I almost complained of her giving me a headache.

While the Indian scarves and dresses were just simply beautiful and gorgeous, it wouldn't suit the event. Tugging her to my room, I threw her a pair of skinny jeans and a tank top with golden décor, then paired it up with black flats. After throwing her golden jewelry, she asked, "How about my hair?"

"Leave it that way…just pull it up into a low ponytail."

"Ok. Wow, Autumn. You look gorgeous."

"Thanks!" I said as I spun for her. A black, tiered mini-dress latched onto my form paired with silver flats and silver jewelry. Pulling my hair into a ponytail similar to Kelsey, I looked at her. She was absolutely stunning. When did this awkward penguin turn so elegant?

"You look beautiful, too, Kells. By the way, I'm forcing you to do my make-up."

She laughed. "Typical Autumn."

Smiling, she came over to me with make-up brushes and began, giving me a softened, smoky look, finished with black eyeliner. Settling with lip gloss, we let the tube glide across our lips before calling out a 'mission accomplished.'

"Got a car?" I asked.

"Yeah…" she said, but was that _awkwardness_ I sensed?

"Ok. Wait here," she told me as she went off to the garage while I stretched on the couch in the living room.

Suddenly it seemed like everyone else was coming out of their rooms, the first to be Mr. Kadam. I've been planning a conversation with him, but I was sure that the way I was going to begin it wasn't how the both of us planned it.

"Mr. Kadam?" I called. He swiveled and said, "Yes, Miss Autumn?"

Nervously, I chewed the inside of my cheeks. I turned on the couch so he could hear me clearly.

"Do you…have pet tigers?" I said, too quickly. The question stunned him as he stuttered.

"Why do you ask?"

_Fuck. _There was no way I could explain, except lie.

"Well you see, um…this morning when I woke up, I saw a black figure move in the edge of the jungle from my window."

"Black?" His lips twitched.

_Shit. _There are no such things as black tigers!

"Yes…I mean, it looked like a tiger from where I was." Then as if considering how the answer would affect me he said, "Yes. We have pet tigers. It's quite common to see them now and then." He spoke slowly.

"Tigers? Them? There's more than one?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You're very attentive." I blushed. "But yes. One white, the other black."

"Whoa, sweet." I was awed.

"Car's ready!" Kelsey called.

"On my way! Bye, Mr. Kadam. Have a nice light!" I didn't just say that, did I?

"You as well. Light?"

"Something my mother used to say."

"Used to?" A new voice asked. Kishan. I watched him emerge from his room looking quite clean and shaven, like he was going out or something.

I froze and forced an answer. "Yeah, when I was…younger."

"Cool."

I rushed to the door to Kelsey. I was definitely going to order a drink. As opposed to finding out that two tigers took residence in the jungle, I almost slipped about my mother's passing. And the nightmares were consuming me as well. I rubbed the back of my head cautiously.

After freaking out about Kelsey's car, I slipped in.

The night was well spent, hours of chatting about this and that, past relationships, college, and mild drama, but I felt like she was omitting something. Sipping apple juice lamely, we danced and even met an actor off set. After three hours of flashing lights, I fished out my cell phone and checked my Facebook. A few messages.

I peered at them in anger. _Condolences. _

**Sorry about your mom, Autumn. Let me know if I can help out.**

** Hey Aut, just found out. Sorries. Luvs you.**

** Dude, really sorry. Here for ya! Peace.**

** It's Katie. I'm so sorry? Need to vent girl?**

I wanted to smash my phone into pieces but another caught my eyes.

**Autumn, I'm really sorry about your mom, but it's not going to work out between us. You're carrying a lot of baggage. I heard about your previous ex from a few friends and decided that the both of us are not ready to commit fully. You really should get rid of it, the baggage. I can't be with someone who won't trust me with her deepest secrets. I love you and have given my all, but I think that the both of us aren't ready. Call me when you get the chance. -Sam**

And just like that, my heart was crushed. I blink back the hot tears coming.

"Autumn?" Kelsey asked.

"Sorry, be right back. Stay here," I said. In a fit of anger, I rushed out the back door for a few minutes to myself.

* * *

><p>Kishan's POV<p>

Ren was positioned inside while I was outside. Concealing ourselves well, we were sure no one would spot us. Circling, I heard a door opening and rushed to it, hiding myself in the shadows. The back door snapped opened and was pushed shut. I saw a girl emerge. Wiping her eyes furiously, careful not to damage her face paint, she screamed into her arms. In her hands was a device, her cell phone.

Autumn?

Autumn was sobbing madly. Then, in a fit of anger, she slammed her phone to the concrete ground. Jumping in fear, I watch the phone break into three pieces: cover, battery, and back cover. And then, to make it worse, she stamped her foot against it, watching it shatter into tinier pieces. Cracking and breaking.

"Fucking bastard! You liar!" she shouted. I watched quietly.

"You said you loved me and then dump me the day my mom dies? GO TO HELL!"

She was absolutely furious.

"I'm. Never. Going. Speak. To. You. Asshole!" she screamed, punctuating her words with a stomp against shattered pieces. Expertly, she calmed down and wiped her face. She looked as if she didn't cry just a minute ago. Looking composed; she kicked the remains and went back inside.

She was a wreck.

And I didn't know what I could do about it. But beneath her pain you could sense so much. Her sorrow was tangible and her anger vibrated in the night. She was hiding something, for sure. Not her mother's death, or the lost of love, but something else. Question was, what?

* * *

><p>AN: Sorry for late update and grammatical mistakes. Thanks for reviews! Feel loved! Mwah! Questions?


	7. Author's Notice (!)

I would love to update honestly! Thing is, there are a few problems:

1) I have recently moved from my old house, and Tiger's Voyage is somewhere placed in a box in a storage unit. I need that book as an outline for Tiger's Heart, and my mother and I have moved in a shoe-box apartment, which is temporary, at least until we find a new house/home.

2) I have recently finished reading Tiger's Destiny, to which I am very upset and distraught about (in reality, I cussed up a storm and cried until no one bothered to console me). I now have no idea where my story is heading now. Before I read Tiger's Destiny, my plan was direct, and everything was smoothed out to my version of perfection. For those who have read Tiger's Destiny, I hope you understand the pain I am undergoing. (*spoiler: there are rumors going about for the fifth book: Tiger's Dream)

I just wanted to say thankful for caring, when I get the chance I'll write when I have an ounce of creativity.


	8. Chamomile Tea

Autumn's POV:

My upper body was splayed on the island in the kitchen. I felt so hot and the stainless steel felt cool against my cheeks. Involuntary, my body shivered violently.

"You're a mess, Autumn," Kelsey giggled. She was graciously making me a pot of chamomile tea, pouring a lot of sugar in it. Just how I liked it.

"I don't know what came over me last night. Guess I was so excited about seeing you again that each drink became a celebratory drink," I lied, groaning as I clutched my head. I felt bad about lying, but there was no way I was going to inform Kelsey of my break up.

_I _barely understand what came over me.

I mean, one second I'm fine, sipping lightly on a glass, my phone rings, I check it, I go outside, and the next? I'm single, unlovable, messed up in the head, carrying baggage, and phoneless.

Damn. I needed that phone, too.

How the hell am I going to watch Girl Code now? I doubt anyone here would give in to my obsession of MTV.

"What happened to _strictly apple juice_?" Kishan asked seriously.

I barely heard him talk.

I guess I could watch Girl Code on my laptop.

No. Mr. Kadam probably monitors the internet.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

How the hell am I going to watch Snooki struggle with the reality of a baby?

Fuck. My. Life.

"She took a nosedive," Kelsey laughed.

I heard _that. _

"_Go to hell,"_ I mumbled softly in their direction.

"We don't believe in hell," Ren laughed. Did they hear me?!

"I hope then you get reincarnated as a spider, then. I'd stomp on all of you while you screamed."

They erupted in laughter as I allowed myself a smile. Kelsey held on the cup of tea towards me. Grabbing it, I lifted my body off the stainless steel. The mere motion made me dizzy. Gosh, hangovers suck. I drew the cup to my lips, drinking greedily. The hot liquid rolled past my tongue and down my throat, scalding but such a relief. It lessened the throb.

The bright light streaming from the windows was hurting my eyes, but I endured it. I could at least take this as a punishment from going out of control last night.

"You drank a lot last night. It took you so many shots before you were giggling uncontrollably. I've never seen you consume so much alcohol," Kelsey informed me.

"I've been practicing," I smirked, drinking more tea.

"You're a mess," Kelsey repeated.

I giggled. After several moments of regular chit-chat, Kishan blurted out a question.

"What was Kelsey like as a child?"

I grimaced. "You're really asking me this then when I feel as if someone is hitting my head with a hammer every few seconds?"

"Consider this punishment," he smirked.

"You suck," I replied automatically. After a few more gulps of warm tea, I contemplated telling him. "She was timid…a people pleaser. You won't believe how many situations I had to pull her out of with the geeks in elementary and in middle school."

Kelsey blushed fiercely. "I remember it the other way around."

"Oh, please, Kelsey! Don't you remember Manny Jacobs?" I asked her.

"Please don't," she begged.

I turned towards Ren and Kishan. "It was sixth grade. We were at a pep rally and she was sitting right next to me. Then this geek comes along and sits on the other side of her. Throughout the whole pep rally he wouldn't stop talking. Asking her what her favorite things were, if she had a pet, favorite type of candy. It was annoying. Then, towards the end of the pep rally, he goes and asks her out."

"Autumn…" she groaned

"You know how she is. She was blushing and got fidgety, thinking of a way to turn him down. And instead of just saying _no _she does _'the trick,'" _I added.

"'_The trick?'"_ the brothers asked.

"Yeah! _'The trick.' _The one where you go 'Sorry, but I already have a boyfriend. Maybe….blah, blah, blah.'" I mimicked.

"I couldn't just say no!" she said defensively.

"After he grabbed your hand like that, uh, yes, you could have. The guy was basically digging his nails into your flesh. You were bleeding afterwards, Kells," I reminded. "I had to push the nerd off her, remember Kells? That was awesome. I hooked by fist right under his jaw after he tried to move in on you!" I was laughing so hard now. The mere memory was so strong that it was basically playing out in my head like a movie reel.

"What was your punishment?" Kishan asked eagerly, soaking up the story with a smirk.

"What punishment?" I smirked. "I screamed rape before I punched him to get _out _of punishment."

"She was awful," Kelsey murmured. "She was a crying wolf."

"_Crying Wolf?_" Ren asked, confused.

"The Boy Who Cried Wolf," Kelsey interjected. "It's a story. I'll tell you guys about it later."

I screwed my lips to the side suspiciously. "You guys never heard of it?"

They shook their heads.

"What? Where you boys born in a different century or something?" I scoffed.

From the corner of my eye I watched Kelsey stiffen with alarm which led to a chain reaction where Ren glanced over towards her worriedly, then Kishan. Ren was first to respond.

"We're just not familiar with American fables," he said, smooth-half smile following.

"There isn't an Indian equivalent?" I asked.

"Not that we're aware of," Kishan remarked. I rolled my eyes.

"_Anyways,_ It doesn't matter because at least he stopped pursuing Kells," I said. Then added, "You're hopeless without me," for good measure.

"You always make me sound weaker than I really am," Kelsey said, rolling her eyes.

I turned to Kishan. "We're talking about the girl who wouldn't dare to go in the backyard if there was a baby spider just outside the door. She had to call for someone to get it before she let a toe touch the ground."

She scowled, issuing a laugh out of all of us.

"Just so the conversation isn't all about Kelsey, I had a weird dream last night," I yawned. Pushing the cup's rim to my mouth, I let the liquid slide past my mouth and down my throat, shivering with newfound warmth. I passed Kelsey the cup, my eyes pleading for more alongside my charismatic smile. After she refilled my cup I took a few more gulps and proceed through my story.

"Lots of water…all around me. Almost like I was drowning…but wasn't drowning. I could still breathe, but it was almost like I was trying not to. I lifted my hands to my face and saw the weirdest art—"

"Like henna?" Kelsey asked quickly, eyes wide.

"No, nothing like that. It was like…like my skin was transparent almost? You could see my veins crisscrossing but it looked like lace and swirls…somewhat. Then, suddenly, little flowers started blooming from my skin! It was the weirdest thing, I swear! I forgot what they're called, but they were pink…with a yellow center and then they started to come off. The little flowers were all around me and one came close to my face and I could see that inside, they were hiding little pearls—all different colors. But then I reached out to touch it but decided not to but then this beautiful voice started to sing to me. It sounded like my mom."

I shook out the memory of her quickly before continuing.

"And she started to sing this little rhyme and told me that these were gifts from her to me. She called it an offering to 'conciliate' me—whatever that means. It was the weirdest shit in my entire life."

"Conciliate means…like to pacify," Kelsey defined.

"Small words please," I groaned. "It's too early for big words.

"Pacify is only six letters, Autumn," she scowled.

"Feel free to use small_er _words."

"To_ calm_," Ren tried.

I nodded. "Better. See there, Kells. That one was four letters."

"How did you even get out of high school, let alone get into a college?" Kelsey asked.

I grinned. "I tricked people. Lots of nerds were involved"

"_Manipulation,_" Kishan corrected.

I clapped my hands over my ears. "Gah! What did I say about big words?!"

"To not overextend the usage of them," Kelsey giggled.

"Stop!"

"To not use an assortment of immense vocabulary when in your presence," Ren joked.

"Quit it!"

"To not engage in the art of verbal communication when it comes to massive terminology in Autumn's attendance," Kishan tried. It was a bit much but...oh well.

"You're going to make me cry," I sniffed as they laughed.

"Chill out, Autumn. We're just messing with you," Kelsey giggled as she came around the island to drape her arms around my shoulders.

"We're sorry for bullying you," Ren laughed.

"Yes, we're sorry for the _harassment_," Kishan joined.

"You are crossing a very, very, fine line," I threatened, casting a full glare into his golden amber eyes. He lifted his hands up in surrender, but a half smile brightened the simple effect, taking the seriousness out.

"I'm going to take a nap. You guys tired out my brain with the talking and the socializing," I said sarcastically.

"Sorry, Autumn. Go take a nap, the jet lap must be pretty hard to overcome."

"I'm working on it. See you in a few," I yawned, turning towards my room.

"See you," they echoed.

* * *

><p>AN: This is a filler. Forgive me. Thanks for the reviews, followers, and favorites. Without you guys, where would I be? If there is a grammatical error, please tell me so I can correct it, but at least be nice


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